Wunderlist: A wunderful way to keep track of tasks

Daily life has always been filled with tasks both big and small. Not once does a day go by without having a chore to do or an important task that's not in the workplace. Traditionally, notepads written down with lists were used. This was before the age of the smartphone, however, and that method is on life support at best. Yet, people need to keep track of tasks and chores so they don't repeat themselves doing the same thing.

Wunderlist, one such app, is responsible for fulfilling the job of keeping track of tasks. Developed by German company 6Wunderkinder, now owned by Microsoft, Wunderlist is a task management program for both the PC and mobile devices. The app features scheduling tasks, repeating tasks, creating folders and lists, sharing lists, and other abilities. You can also print out your list of tasks and
even insert files in those lists, but considering there's online cloud drives and external flash drives as well as the app being available on mobile devices, those features are pointless.

I use this app every day to keep track of tasks that I've done and needed to do. If there's a homework assignment to complete, I put it in a school list and put a due date on it. If I need to complete a chapter in my novel by a certain date, I set it in a dedicated novel list and set a date. Even if it's something mundane like taking pictures of myself or writing a number of Twitter postings, those tasks go in to the Wundelist app. This app has done me more than one favor, and has kept me on track of completing tasks when need be.

The best part about this app is that, again, it's not exclusive to a PC despite being owned by Microsoft. Android and iOS users have the luxury of being able to use this app, and even Amazon Kindle and Smartwatch users get to have access to this app. This means a lot, since managing completed tasks on the go helps with those that are trying to multitask.

The app in question is a freemium program, that is, it's free to download and use but certain features are exclusive to paid owners. Said features include unlimited file sharing; unlimited assigning; unlimited sub-tasks; and backgrounds for pro-only users. Most of these features are irrelevant, though, and users are better off just sticking to the free version.

Overall, this is a great app to have when you feel overwhelmed with everyday or rare tasks. Not only will users be able to complete tasks in a timely fashion, but you'll feel great about it when you start crossing off items from your lists. I started using this app again to finish tasks in weekly periods, and I've gotten things done because of it. It makes the old notepad writing tasks obsolete, and it motivates me greatly to actually get work done.

Download the app for android here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wunderkinder.wunderlistandroid&hl=en
Download the app for chrome here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/wunderlist-for-chrome/ojcflmmmcfpacggndoaaflkmcoblhnbh?hl=en
Download the app for iOS here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wunderlist-to-do-list-tasks/id406644151?mt=8

mPoints: Another way to earn gift card money

Gift cards are a wonderful way of telling someone you care. If you can't figure out what to buy your friends or family, these are the easy way out. Sometimes you want gift cards of your own, so as to save money on more important things like living expenses.

mPoints is a service dedicated to earning gift card money. The rewards program offers multiple gift cards for varying amounts of points, and also features donations and sweepstakes for investing points in. The primary use of this program, however, is to farm for gift card money using apps.

Signing up is simple. Just put in your name and email address to connect yourself to the mPoints service. From that point on, you can use a multitude of apps to complete tasks to earn points. The apps using this service are very reputable, such as Dictionary.com; The Weather Channel; Intellicast; and Moviefone.

Though this service offers users to cash in points for sweepstakes and donations, the main draw is the ease of earning gift card money. Primarily, amazon.com is the candidate because of how widely used the service is and how the gift cards there never expire. I farm for amazon.com gift cards regularly and I've cashed in massive amounts of money in little time.

The only gripe is that a lot of apps have to be installed in order to take full advantage of the service. For phones with small amounts of space and lacking an SD card option, this presents a problem. God help you if you have a phone that can't take advantage of SD card by default without using special software or rooting.

In conclusion, this is a great service to earn gift card money on a weekly basis. Imagine being able to rack up cash and buy gifts for friends and family without breaking your bank. I've used this service to great success and have purchased things for myself and those around me. I would recommend this service to anyone.

Photoshop Freeware: GIMP

When you think of a computer program used for graphic design, the first that comes to mind is Adobe's Photoshop. Accessible to newbies; artists and professionals, Photoshop has access to multiple tools and effects that allow for high quality pictures and designs. It even has other capabilities such as 3D designs and limited animation. With great power, however, comes a great price; with prices starting at $500 and some outlets selling Photoshop at $1,000, this is no bargain. While Adobe offers Photoshop in their Creative Cloud suite, a monthly subscription is required to use the program. This is an option some aren't willing to accept or can't afford. Granted, there's Photoshop Elements also by Adobe but that program doesn't hold a candle compared to the main event. Still, graphic artists and designers of all kinds need a photo and art program of some kind to earn a living.

Fortunately, there's someone who believes in the spirit of free software. That someone made GIMP; short for GNU Image Manipulation Program, it serves to be a freeware alternative to Photoshop for those not willing to pay massive prices or monthly subscriptions. While it works closely like Photoshop, there are some features that make it stand out from its commercial bretheren.

First, GIMP has support for PSD files out of the box; PSD is the native Photoshop file, and if one doesn't have Photoshop at home they can use GIMP to continue working on projects. GIMP also has features similar to or even equal with Photoshop, such as lasso tools; clone stamps and even healing tools. GIMP also has line stroking tools and effects, great for making line art scanned to the computer.

GIMP can also save in a variety of formats like .JPEG; .GIF; .PNG; .TIFF, and many more. This is a plus for those that need Photoshop but want to save money. It also has support for plug-ins that add to GIMP further, which is also an advantage because it gives extra features not found in GIMP. In rare cases the latter turns GIMP into a completely different program altogether.

The only bad thing about GIMP is that it can do things just as well as Photoshop, but not everything. For one thing, GIMP won't be able to do 3D graphics, and you'd have to get plugins to do basic animations.

Overall, if you want an alternative to Photoshop and are intimidated by massive price tags or subscriptions GIMP is for you. While not as powerful, GIMP is a program marked by its versatility and community support. I strongly recommend it.

Download GIMP here: http://www.gimp.org/downloads/